Thursday

Today was going to be different.  In the last few weeks I have been inspired to see Nature studies, to see science in a different way.  Today our plan was to look at the classification of animals in a general way and then look at mammals specifically.

 

The kids watched a video on the Animal Kingdom Classification.  We then sorted the various traits of Mammals, Reptiles, Birds and Fish.  We got this from Above Eagle Wings.  We then worked on a Detective sheet, from the same workbook, working through the different traits to discover that our dog, Domino, was a mammal. 

 

Joshua worked on his own Math and Chemistry.

 

I have been inspired with Math, and finding everyday situations opportunities to teach or confirm math skills.   During their free play Jess, Nomi and Daniel have built this train track with a world around it – their world consists of a playground, a zoo, a tank for “Willie” the whale, an airport, etc…  After Jessica told me what everything was I realised it was a perfect opportunity to use positional words.  (Which I had earmarked to work on this week!)

 

I asked Nomi to tell me where things were without pointing.  She initially used left and right – and changed them to my left and right since I was standing opposite her.  Then she wanted to use North, South, East and West but got a little confused trying to work on my N/S/E/W (I was getting confused too!)  So we had a little lesson that these directions don’t change so we marked out these directions and she used set positions of N/S/E/W for the rest of her telling. 

 

Daniel though when I asked him to tell me without pointing initially used his head and said over there – with a nod of the head!  So after telling him to use words he was able to tell me by using words such as in front of me, next to, near, next door, on the side.

 

We finished our day with a swim with our friends in their pool.

 

 

Friday

As I spent time this morning typing up task cards for our Math Tabloid for  our Co-op next week the children did their chores and made the house tidy, then they spent time playing board games and card games together.

 

We then visited the C.Family.  While we were together the kids watched a video, some played math games, some read, some talked, some built a cubby!  Then we had a swim.

 

We came home just in time to visit with the G.Family who came for afternoon tea.  Josh and JG had a good time making stuff from the Box of Boxes (recycled boxes).  Jess spent some time reading to SG.  Nomi also spent time with the boys making books.

 

So today was a very relational day – and if I had to mark down what relational skill was enhanced today by our activities it would be that they either learnt or practiced the love and grace that is necessary to play with (live with) younger children.  Be it the patience when a little person knocks down your cubby, or the strength when a little one grabs you in the pool, or the love to sit and read to them, or the enthusiasm to explain and show then how to do a project.